עוּג
𐤏𐤅𐤂
ʻûwg
H5746 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To bake or cook round cakes on hot stones or a hearth; specifically, to prepare flat, usually circular cakes (often of bread or grain) by laying them on embers or heated surfaces. The action involves placing dough directly onto or near heat sources, typically in simple domestic contexts.
Semantic Range
to bake on the hearth, to prepare round cakes, to cook flatbreads on hot stones or embers, to make simple bread in personal or rustic settings
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root עוג, related to roundness or circling. The verb in this denominative form is taken from the noun עֻגָּה (uggah), meaning a round cake or bread. The original root may have conveyed the idea of turning or circling, likely in reference to the shape of the cakes or the method of cooking them.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, the verb is rare and appears only in connection with the preparation of food, specifically in relation to simple, unleavened cakes or bread in domestic or survival situations (e.g., when pressing dough onto hot coals or stones in Genesis 18:6, 1 Kings 19:6). Unlike later leavened bread that would be baked in ovens, this term refers to the preparation of quick, flat, round loaves. The related noun עֻגָּה is attested in contexts of hospitality, travel, or flight. English translations often obscure the primitive nature of this process, sometimes rendering it simply as "bake" or "prepare bread," which does not convey the round, simple flatbread implied. The verb does not appear with reference to ritual bread making or temple practices, and its use is limited to personal or household settings in the Hebrew Bible. During the monarchic and post-exilic periods, more specialized terms for baking (e.g., אפה) emerge, often associated with oven baking and more complex bread types, contrasting with the simplicity of עוּג.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, to gyrate; but used only as a denominative from עֻגָּה,; to bake (round cakes on the hearth); bake.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עוג (ʿ-w-g) — to make round, to curve, to circle
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5746-01 |
תְּעֻגֶ֖/נָה | teugenah | HVqi2ms/Sp3fs |
you-shall-bake-it | you shall bake her as a round cake | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5746-01 |
Ezekiel 4:12 | תְּעֻגֶ֖/נָה | teugenah | HVqi2ms/Sp3fs |
you-shall-bake-it | you shall bake her as a round cake |